Simple 3-designs and PSL(2, q) with q ≡ 1 (mod 4)

In this paper, we consider the action of (2, q) on the finite projective line for q ≡ 1 (mod 4) and construct several infinite families of simple 3-designs which admit PSL(2, q) as an automorphism group. Some of the designs are also minimal. We also indicate a general outline to obtain some other algebraic constructions of simple 3-designs.      

Some new 3-designs from PSL(2, q) with q ≡ 1 (mod4)

We determine the sizes of orbits from the action of subgroups of PSL(2,q) on projective line X = GF(q) ∪ {∞} with q a prime power and congruent to 1 modulo 4.As an example of its application,we construct some new families of simple 3-designs admitting PSL(2,q) as automorphism group.     

旗传递5-(v,k,2)设计的分类

本文研究了5-(v,k,2)设计的分类问题.利用典型群PSL(2,q)的子群作用于投影线的轨道定理,证明了旗传递5-(v,k,2)设计的自同构群的基柱不能与PSL(2,3n)同构.从而证明了不存在旗传递的5-(v,k,2)设计.     

Optimal constant weight covering codes and nonuniform group divisible 3-designs with block size four

Let K _q (n, w, t, d) be the minimum size of a code over Z _q of length n, constant weight w, such that every word with weight t is within Hamming distance d of at least one codeword. In this article, we determine K _q (n, 4, 3, 1) for all n ≥ 4, q = 3, 4 or q = 2 ^m  + 1 with m ≥ 2, leaving the only case (q, n) = (3, 5) in doubt. Our construction method is mainly based on the auxiliary designs, H-frames, which play a crucial role in the recursive constructions of group divisible 3-designs similar to that of candelabra systems in the constructions of 3-wise balanced designs. As an application of this approach, several new infinite classes of nonuniform group divisible 3-designs with block size four are also constructed.     

Infinite families of 2- and 3-designs with parameters v = p + 1, k = (p − 1)/2i + 1, where p odd prime, 2e T (p − 1), e ≥ 2, 1 ≤ i ≤ e

Let p be an odd prime number such that p − 1 = 2^em for some odd m and e ≥ 2. In this article, by using the special linear fractional group PSL(2, p), for each i, 1 ≤ i ≤ e, except particular cases, we construct a 2-design with parameters v = p + 1, k = (p − 1)/2ⁱ + 1 and λ = ((p − 1)/2ⁱ+1)(p − 1)/2 = k(p − 1)/2, and in the case i = e we show that some of these 2-designs are 3-designs. Likewise, by using the linear fractional group PGL(2,p) we construct an infinite family of 3-designs with the same v k and λ = k(k − 2). These supplement a part of [4], in which we gave an infinite family of 3-designs with parameters v = q + 1, k = (q + 1)/2 = (q − 1)/2 + 1 and λ = (q + 1)(q − 3)/8 = k(k − 2)/2, where q is a prime power such that q − 1 = 2m for some odd m and q > 7. Some of the designs given in this article and in [4] fill in a few blanks in the table of Chee, Colbourn, and Kreher [2]. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Transitive Arcs in Planes of Even Order

When one considers the hyperovals inPG(2,q),qeven,q>2, then the hyperoval inPG(2, 4) and the Lunelli-Sce hyperoval inPG(2, 16) are the only hyperovals stabilized by a transitive projective group [10]. In both cases, this group is an irreducible group fixing no triangle in the plane of the hyperoval, nor in a cubic extension of that plane. Using Hartley's classification of subgroups ofPGL₃(q),qeven [6], allk-arcs inPG(2,q) fixed by a transitive irreducible group, fixing no triangle inPG(2,q) or inPG(2,q³), are determined. This leads to new 18-, 36- and 72-arcs inPG(2,q),q=2^2h. The projective equivalences among the arcs are investigated and each section ends with a detailed study of the collineation groups of these arcs.     

Systematic Construction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-Analogs of <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>−(<Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>,λ)-Designs

In the present paper we consider a q-analog of t–(v,k,)-designs. It is canonic since it arises by replacing sets by vector spaces over GF(q), and their orders by dimensions. These generalizations were introduced by Thomas [Geom.Dedicata vol. 63, pp. 247–253 (1996)] they are called t –(v,k,;q)- designs. A few of such q-analogs are known today, they were constructed using sophisticated geometric arguments and case-by-case methods. It is our aim now to present a general method that allows systematically to construct such designs, and to give complete catalogs (for small parameters, of course) using an implemented software package. &nbsp; In order to attack the (highly complex) construction, we prepare them for an enormous data reduction by embedding their definition into the theory of group actions on posets, so that we can derive and use a generalization of the Kramer-Mesner matrix for their definition, together with an improved version of the LLL-algorithm. By doing so we generalize the methods developed in a research project on t –(v,k,)-designs on sets, obtaining this way new results on the existence of t–(v,k,;q)-designs on spaces for further quintuples (t,v,k,;q) of parameters. We present several 2–(6,3,;2)-designs, 2–(7,3,;2)-designs and, as far as we know, the very first 3-designs over GF(q).classification 05B05     

A New Family of 2-Designs over GF (q) Admitting SLm(q1)

Given a 2-(l,3,q³(q^l-5-1/q-1);q) design for an integer l 5 mod 6(q-1) which admits the action of a Singer cycle Z_l of GL_l(q), we construct a 2-(ml,3,q³(q^l-5-1/q-1);q) design for an arbitrary integer m 3 which admits the action of SL_m(q^l). The construction applied to Suzuki's designs actually provides a new family of 2-designs over GF(q) which admit the SL_m(q^l) action.     

On divisible designs and local algebras

We study the action of the group PGL(m,A) on the projective space PG(m − 1,A) over a finite commutative local algebra A in order to construct a class of divisible designs, denoted by D_m(d,A), which is the classical one of 2-designs (of points and of flats of fixed projective dimension) in the case where A is a field. We also study the constructed divisible designs with particular care for the case where d = m − 1. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterizing geometric designs, II

We provide a characterization of the classical point-line designs PG₁(n,q), where n?3, among all non-symmetric 2-(v,k,1)-designs as those with the maximal number of hyperplanes. As an application of this result, we characterize the classical quasi-symmetric designs PGn−2(n,q), where n?4, among all (not necessarily quasi-symmetric) designs with the same parameters as those having line size q+1 and all intersection numbers at least qn−4+?+q+1. Finally, we also give an explicit lower bound for the number of non-isomorphic designs having the same parameters as PG₁(n,q); in particular, we obtain a new proof for the known fact that this number grows exponentially for any fixed value of q.     

Hyperovals and Hadamard designs

In this paper, we investigatec-sets in 2-designs, with particular regard to sets of type (0,n) in projective planes. In particular, we associate a Hadamard design to a hyperoval of a projective plane of even orderq and we investigate some properties of its lines. This gives information on the order of the projective plane.     

Unifying some known infinite families of combinatorial 3-designs

In this paper we present a construction of 3-designs by using a 3-design with resolvability. The basic construction generalizes a well-known construction of simple 3-(v,4,3) designs by Jungnickel and Vanstone (1986). We investigate the conditions under which the designs obtained by the basic construction are simple. Many infinite families of simple 3-designs are presented, which are closely related to some known families by Iwasaki and Meixner (1995), Laue (2004) and van Tran (2000, 2001). On the other hand, the designs obtained by the basic construction possess various properties: A theory of constructing simple cyclic 3-(v,4,3) designs by Köhler (1981) can be readily rebuilt from the context of this paper. Moreover many infinite families of simple resolvable 3-designs are presented in comparison with some known families. We also show that for any prime power q and any odd integer n there exists a resolvable 3-(qn+1,q+1,1) design. As far as the authors know, this is the first and the only known infinite family of resolvable t-(v,k,1) designs with t?3 and k?5. Those resolvable designs can again be used to obtain more infinite families of simple 3-designs through the basic construction.     

A generalization of a result of Dembowski and Wagner

The famous Dembowski-Wagner theorem gives various characterizations of the classical geometric 2-design PG _n-1(n, q) among all 2-designs with the same parameters. One of the characterizations requires that all lines have size q + 1. It was conjectured [2] that this is also true for the designs PG _d (n, q) with 2 ≤ d ≤  n − 1. We establish this conjecture, hereby improving various previous results.     

A Steiner 5-Design on 36 Points

Up to now, all known Steiner 5-designs are on q + 1 points where q 3 (mod 4) is a prime power and the design is admitting PSL(2, q) as a group of automorphisms. In this article we present a 5-(36,6,1) design admitting PGL(2, 17) × C ₂ as a group of automorphisms. The design is unique with this automorphism group and even for the commutator group PSL(2, 17) × Id ₂ of this automorphism group there exists no further design with these parameters. We present the incidence matrix of t-orbits and block orbits.     

The preparata codes and a class of 4-designs

An extension theorem for t-designs is proved. As an application, a class of 4-(4^m + 1,5,2) designs is constructed by extending designs related to the 3-designs formed by the minimum weight vectors in the Preparata code of length n = 4^m, m ≥ 2. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The number of designs with geometric parameters grows exponentially

It is well-known that the number of 2-designs with the parameters of a classical point-hyperplane design PG _n-1(n, q) grows exponentially. Here we extend this result to the number of 2-designs with the parameters of PG _d (n, q), where 2 ≤ d ≤ n ? 1. We also establish a characterization of the classical geometric designs in terms of hyperplanes and, in the special case d = 2, also in terms of lines. Finally, we shall discuss some interesting configurations of hyperplanes arising in designs with geometric parameters.     

Correction to: “Exponential bounds on the number of designs with affine parameters”

It is well known that the number of designs with the parameters of a classical design having as blocks the hyperplanes in PG(n, q) or AG(n, q), n?3, grows exponentially. This result was extended recently [5] to designs having the same parameters as a projective geometry design whose blocks are the d‐subspaces of PG(n, q), for any 2?d?n ? 1. In this paper, exponential lower bounds are proved on the number of non‐isomorphic designs having the same parameters as an affine geometry design whose blocks are the d‐subspaces of AG(n, q), for any 2≤d≤n ? 1. Exponential bounds are also proved for the number of resolvable designs with these parameters. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19:156‐166, 2011     

Large sets of 3-designs from psl(2, q), with block sizes 4 and 5

We determine the distribution of 3?(q + 1,k,λ) designs, with k ? {4,5}, among the orbits of k-element subsets under the action of PSL(2,q), for q ? 3 (mod 4), on the projective line. As a consequence, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a uniformly-PSL(2,q) large set of 3?(q + 1,k,λ) designs, with k ? {4,5} and q ≡ 3 (mod 4). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the structure of 1-designs with at most two block intersection numbers

We introduce the notion of an unrefinable decomposition of a 1-design with at most two block intersection numbers, which is a certain decomposition of the 1-designs collection of blocks into other 1-designs. We discover an infinite family of 1-designs with at most two block intersection numbers that each have a unique unrefinable decomposition, and we give a polynomial-time algorithm to compute an unrefinable decomposition for each such design from the family. Combinatorial designs from this family include: finite projective planes of order n; SOMAs, and more generally, partial linear spaces of order (s, t) on (s + 1)² points; as well as affine designs, and more generally, strongly resolvable designs with no repeated blocks.      

A Family of Caps in Projective 4-Space in Odd Characteristic

We construct caps in projective 4-space PG(4, q) in odd characteristic, whose cardinality is O( q²).